Calculating list

• US 7,908,298 B1
• Filed: 08/09/2007
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert C. Lancaster
• Original Assignee: Robert C. Lancaster
• Inventors: Lancaster, Robert C
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Khanh B
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOHNSON, JOHNESE T
• Application Number:
  US11/836,174
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 707/803, 707/805
• US Class Current: 707/805
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24566 Recursive queries

Abstract

Processing list data to form calculated lists wherein the calculated data set is derived from data members and/or nested list members that are then calculated to produce the resulting final calculated data set. Each data member in the list typically has at least one data member identifier and at least one calculate attribute. The calculating process uses the calculate attribute to determine the final calculated data set of the list. The final calculated list can be used alone and additionally nested into other lists or as members of a list structure.

Claims

1. A computer program embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium for processing an input data set to produce a calculated data set of at least one calculated list including calculated members, said computer program performing list operations, comprising:

obtaining at least one said input data set for at least one calculating list comprising one or more list members, wherein at least one of said list members has a member identifier element and at least one of said list members has a member calculate type element;

wherein each of said at least one calculating list has one list identification element specifying said calculating list;

wherein each of said at least one calculating list has one list name element identifying commonality of said list members;

wherein said list members of said at least one calculating list can comprise a calculating list member that is a calculating list other than parent of said calculating list member, thereby supporting nesting and avoiding endless loop processing;

wherein said list members can be an empty set;

wherein at least one said member identifier element is input in a columnar list arrangement by a user;

wherein said member identifier element can be included in multiple calculating lists;

wherein said member calculate type element represents a type of processing to be performed;

performing a calculating process on said list members, wherein said calculating process uses said member calculate type attribute element to process at least some of said list members to generate said calculated data set of said at least one calculated list including said calculated members;

wherein said calculating process traverses said list members, processing said list members that are said calculating list members first to determine calculated members of said calculating lists corresponding to said calculating list members;

wherein said calculating process interpretation of a negative member calculate type element results in omission of said list member having said negative member calculate type element from said at least one calculated list;

wherein said calculating process uses said one list identification element for creation of logical list structures;

wherein said calculating process uses said one list name element for creation of logical list structures;

wherein said calculating process leverages knowledge by sharing said at least one calculated list among users;

wherein said calculating process does not require user programming, operating on input data set values entered for said at least one calculating list;

wherein said calculated members of said at least one calculated list do not contain lists as said calculated members;

wherein said data set of said calculated members can include an empty data set;

wherein said at least one calculated list contains no duplicate calculated members; and

displaying at least some of said calculated members to said user;

wherein said displaying includes rendering at least one table wherein said calculated members are in a columnar arrangement.

2. The program according to claim 1, further comprising storing said at least some of said calculated members on a storage device.

3. The program according to claim 1, wherein said displaying is on a device selected from at least one of the group consisting of:

computer, personal digital assistant, and mobile phone.

4. The program according to claim 1, comprising nesting, wherein at least one of said list members is another calculating list.

5. The program according to claim 1, comprising nesting, wherein one of said list members is a calculating list and is in a plurality of calculating lists.

6. The program according to claim 5, wherein said list members do not contain a list member of itself at any level.

7. The program according to claim 1, wherein said calculating process is an arithmetic function.

8. The program according to claim 1, further comprising list elements to enable logical list structures wherein said at least one calculating list comprises elements list type element and list for identification element whereby said list for identification element and said list type element define resultant list structures.

9. The program according to claim 8, wherein a list structure comprised of multiple calculating lists assigns list privilege with said list type element;

wherein said list type element of a privilege calculating list identifies privilege,

said one list name element identifies one of multiple levels of privilege, and

said list for identification element identifies list identification element of a second calculating list to which said list privilege is assigned.